There were successful MMORPGs even before World of Warcraft. We have put together some of the best representatives from early times for you here.
World of Warcraft has shaped the MMORPG market like no other game ever has. But there were successful MMORPGs even before WoW. We have put together some of the most successful MMORPGs for you in this list.
Many of the games are still online today. They owe this primarily to their loyal communities, who continue to play the MMORPGs to this day and thus ensure that the games are preserved.
Ultimate Online
Release: September 30, 1997 | Platform: PC | Setting: medieval fantasy | Developer, Publisher: Broadsword, Electronic Arts | Click here to go to the official Ultima Online website
Ultima Online had a lot of influence on the MMORPGs as we know them today. Many of the systems that we really want in our games today come from the MMORPG, for example housing.
The iso-MMORPG has received further content expansions and updates since its release and is still playable today. Since 2014, Ultima Online has been operated by Broadsword Games, which is now also the operator of Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Ultima Online: Trailer introduces the new legacy server of the cult MMORPG
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Something will still happen with the MMORPG in 2024. The new legacy servers only appeared this year, which are intended to bring the classic RPG aspects of the game back to players. They are perfect for falling into nostalgia again.
Star Wars Galaxies
Release: March 16, 1999 | Platform: PC, macOS | Setting: Fantasy | Developer, Publisher: Verant Interactive, LucasArts, Sony Online Entertainment
Star Wars Galaxies is the very first “Star Wars” MMORPG in history and therefore the early predecessor of the still successful Star Wars: The Old Republic. The MMORPG took place shortly after part four of Star Wars, A New Hope, and offered players different classes to choose from. However, becoming a Jedi was very difficult in the beginning.
Later you could become a Jedi right at the start, which many players disliked. Many updates later, players lost interest in the game and in 2011, a week before the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic, the MMORPG was shut down.
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